Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-13
FORTUNES ARE FOTND.
A Story AbOut Pickles Told by Mis-.
sOurian.

FORTUNES ARE FOUND.
A Story AbOut Pickles Told by Mis-
sOurian.
By far the most interesting converse
ton that occurs on trains is heard IN the
smoking room of Pullman cars, writes
Frank Wilkeson to the New York Times.
A fat, red-faced, loud-voiced man, with
small blue eyes and a crooked
nose, and who claimed Missouri
as his native State, sat in the smoking
room. He smoked the largest sized
cigars in an aggressive manner. He
chewed their ends as though he were
chewing the thumb OK an enemy. When
he talked, his manner was as that OF a
prophet laying down the law. For hours
he had desired to enlighten us on the
subject Of pickles, and for hours we had
choked him off. But now it was after
supper. We felt kindly toward all men,
and when he began to talk none OF us
tried to check him.
He said in a manner which he intend
ed to be highly impressive "Fortunes
are found, not made" He waited an
instant for that alleged truth to sink
deeply into our minds, and then said, in
explanation of his remark 81 instance
my own case. | own a Missouri-riyer
valley farm. Between my eastern line
and the river lies low, sandy strip OF
land which is annually overlooked during
the June rise in the river. This low lying
tract of land was owned by merchant
who lived in st. Joe. He bought it
many years ago for 12l cents per acre
from the State. 1t was listed as swamp
land. There were fifty acres in the
tract. Three years ago a crop of young
cottonwood-trees sprang up on this land.
They grew rapidly. | saw that if they
were allowed to grow they would cut off
my view of the river, and they might
intercept the cool breeze from the
water. At any rate did not
want cottonwood forest between my
farm and the river SO [ went To St.
Joe and bought the fifty acres for 300.
l returned to my farm and had the young
cottonwoods, then about six feet high.
cut down. That fall | burned them. [
did not intend to cultivate the land, be-
cause, as | have said, it was subject to
overflow, but one day the following
spring an emigrant who was travelling
westward in canyas-coyered wagon
stopped at my door. He SAID :
stranger, I ara tired Of travelling.
Ny wife is tired of travelling. We think
it best TO stop somewhere and make a
crop. have been told that You have
fifty acres Of land lying idle VIII You
rent it to mo on thirds 2 | told hun
that the land was subject to overflow.
He said he did not care if it wa. and
that he was willing to risk a couple of
months work on it. So Irented to him.
He ploughed and planted the land. That
year the land was not overflowed. The
emigrant gathered 1000 bushels of corn.
| sold my third for S46G, or S6G more
than the land cost. Shortly after
the corn was gathered two men from
st. Louis visited our neighborhoOd.
They rode from farm to farm, apparently
examining the quality of the land.
Finally they came TO my house and
asked if they might see the low-lying
land | owned by the river. | walked
down to the land with them [ told
them that it was overtlowed almost every
year. and that the land was not actually
worth cent an acre. They examined
the land carefully, and then the elder
man said: "You own the very kind Of
land we have been looking for. This
land is pickle land. Cucumber seed. il
you expect to raise cucumbers for pickle
manufacturers, should not be planted
till June. The flooding OF your land in
June is beneficial to il. The silt de,
posted by the water is the best manure
known for cucumbers. We are travel
ling up the Missouri river to make con,
tracts with men who own land which
will produce cucumbers fit for pickles
We will agree to buy all the cucumbers
you raise on this land The upshot Of
the matter was that l agreed TO plant
fifty aces in cucumbers. The St
Louis firm agreed to buy all raised al
highly remunerative prices, and to pay
every Monday during the picking anC
shipping season. The succeeding winter
I Il lhlhCu plChltN w ny lASiSLbOio' III wv
region in which | live corn is usually
'laid-by' by the first week OF July, anC
from that time till corn-husking the
farmers have but little to do. My neigh
bors readily agreed to rent my cucum
Der land on shares. was to have one
third of the cucumbers, and
was to act a. their business agent
Last year the land Melted mo sllt
per acre, and this year | will get abou
$3.50 per acre net. Next year shal
plant the land myself, and | expect thai
it will pay me at least 5000 per acr,
profit. The tract of sandy, low-lyinI
land that | considered worthless, anC
which bought to protect my property
is worth more than my whole farm. /
is q small fortune. 50 / say that for
tunes are found, not made" His stor,
had interested us, and he seemed to b,
highly pleased with himself and us whel